Mediterranean Chopped Salad

A Mediterranean chopped salad is a vibrant and healthy mix of vegetables, herbs, and cheese, all tossed together in a tangy vinaigrette dressing.

This salad is a celebration of the flavors and colors of the Mediterranean region, and it's perfect for a light lunch or a refreshing side dish.

If you are looking for a salad that is bursting with bright, fresh flavors, look no more!

Why You Will Love This Salad

This salad is bursting with flavor and texture, and it's incredibly easy to make. The combination of crisp vegetables, tangy feta cheese, and fragrant herbs is simply irresistible.

It's also a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, and it's a perfect recipe for those who follow a vegetarian or a gluten-free diet.

The inclusion of chickpeas means it provides plenty of protein, making it a complete meal that will satisfy!

Ingredients

How to Make This Mediterranean Chopped Salad

To assemble this salad, start by salting and draining the tomatoes and cucumbers to draw out their moisture (this helps keep the salad from getting soggy). They need to drain for 15 minutes, which gives you time to prep all the other ingredients.

Then, whisk the three dressing ingredients (red wine vinegar, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil) together in a big bowl. Add the chickpeas, olives, onion, parsley, and the drained tomatoes and cucumber.

Mix to coat and let this marinate for at least 5 (or up to 20) minutes.

Add the lettuce and feta cheese to the bowl and toss gently to combine.

Season with a little salt and pepper, as needed. The salad is ready to serve!

Serving Suggestions

This salad is a perfect side dish for grilled meats or fish, but it can also be served as a light lunch or dinner.

Since the chickpeas provide a good source of protein, this can easily be considered a complete meal. It's perfect for meatless Monday!

Storage

This salad is best enjoyed fresh, but you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Substitutions and Variations

This recipe is very versatile, and you can easily customize it to your liking. Here are some ideas:

• Swap out the romaine lettuce for baby spinach or arugula.
• Use a little yellow or orange bell pepper for extra sweetness and color.
• Replace the feta cheese with goat cheese or blue cheese.
• Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice instead of red wine vinegar for the dressing.

Expert Tips

• Use high-quality olive oil and vinegar for the best flavor.
• Make sure to chop all of the vegetables into similar-sized pieces for a more even texture.
• Buy feta cheese in a block and break off what you need with a fork. This cheese will be more creamy than the already-crumbled stuff, which tends to get quite dry.

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Mediterranean Chopped Salad

A fresh and healthy salad for all your summer gatherings!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Drain and marinate time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: 6

Calories: 223kcal

Author: Sula

Ingredients

• ½ English cucumber quartered lengthwise and cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1 pint grape tomatoes quartered
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 TB red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 3 TB olive oil
• 1 15oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives chopped
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 romaine lettuce heart about 6 ounces, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled (1 cup)

Instructions

• Toss the chopped cucumber and tomatoes with 1 teaspoon of salt and let drain in a colander for at least 15 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic and vinegar. Whisking constantly, drizzle the oil in slowly. Add the cucumber-tomato mixture, plus the chickpeas, olives, onion and parsley and toss to coat. Let sit to marinate for at least 5 minutes or up to 20 minutes.
• Add lettuce and feta and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 992mg | Potassium: 403mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1645IU | Vitamin C: 19.5mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 1.8mg

Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

More salad ideas

You might also enjoy Greek Cucumber Salad, Chickpea, Carrot and Arugula Salad, or Quinoa with Broccoli and Parmesan.